Forgot the password on Xiaomi: how to remove it with your own hands

When you pick up your Xiaomi or Redmi to answer a call, but the lock screen betrays the wrong input, it happens quite often. Human memory is not perfect, and the complex nine-dot pattern lock you invented a month ago for security can completely fly out of your head. At this moment, panic is sweeping: inside the device important photos, work documents and access to accounts, and the gadget turns into a useless piece of plastic and glass.

Fortunately, MIUI and the more recent HyperOS have a number of scenarios for this, so don't despair or bring your phone to a service center, where you can charge a substantial amount for a simple procedure. In most situations, you can restore access yourself, using your regular system funds or a developer account. We'll look at all the working methods, from the most gentle to the most radical.

The first thing you need to do is calm down and try to remember whether you have linked your device to your Mi Account, and it is the presence or absence of this anchor that will be the key factor in determining how you unlock it. If your account was active, your chances of getting back access to your data without losing it are much higher, and if you used the phone "as is", without registering, you will have to resort to a complete reset.

Unlocking with Mi Account: the fastest way

This method only works if you have created a Mi Account in advance and logged in on a locked device. Also a prerequisite is an active Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile network), since Xiaomi server needs to verify your data. If the lock screen allows you to call the notification panel or you see a network icon, try this option.

You don't have to match the combinations. The password screen, after a few failed attempts, might say, "Forgot your password?" or "Forgot your pattern lock?" and click on it, prompts the system to enter the username and password from your Mi Account. Once you have successfully logged in, the lock will be removed instantly, and all data will remain in place.

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If the internet is off, try to quickly click on the emergency number button and enter the ##4636### code to get into the testing menu and check the network status, although newer versions of MIUI often close this login.

It is important to understand that Android security in conjunction with the Xiaomi shell may not immediately offer the option of recovery through the account. Sometimes you need to wait a certain time or enter the wrong code several times.

⚠️ Note: If you have entered the wrong password too many times, the phone may require unlocking through the Google account that was the main one on the device, ignoring the Mi Account.

Remote Unlocking through Find Device

If you can’t access your account directly from your phone, but you know for sure that Mi Account is active, you can use remote control. Xiaomi’s Find Device service allows you not only to track the location of the lost gadget, but also to manage its lock.

Go to the official Xiaomi cloud service website and log in under the same account that you use on your locked phone. Select your model from the list of devices. The interface will offer several actions: play audio, block or delete data. We are interested in the lock feature, which allows you to set a new password remotely.

Once you have a new password installed through the web interface, it automatically syncs with the device, and you just have to enter a new combination on the screen of the locked smartphone, which is good because it does not require physical contact with the buttons of the recovery menu, which sometimes scares users with its ascetic design.

It's worth noting that the function is unstable if the device has not been online for a long time, in which case the command from the server will be executed only after the phone can connect to Wi-Fi or mobile Internet, and if the gadget lies at home with the screen off, it can receive a command in the background.

Recovery Mode Reset: A Radical Method

When passwords fail to be remembered and accounts fail (or fail to), the only proven option is a full reset via Recovery Mode. This is a low-level mode built into every Xiaomi firmware. It's important to understand that this method will delete all user data. Photos, contacts, WhatsApp correspondence and installed apps will be irretrievably lost if they were not synced with the cloud.

To enter recovery mode, you need to turn off your smartphone completely. Then press the volume button and the power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, after which the power button can be released, continuing to keep the volume until the Recovery menu appears. This menu is controlled by volume buttons (up and down), and the choice is by the power button.

From the menu, select the language (usually available in English and Chinese), then go to Wipe Data. The system will warn you of the consequences again. Confirm the action by selecting Wipe All Data. The process will take a few minutes, after which the phone will restart and start as new, just out of the box.

Once you download, you'll need to go through the initial setup, and if Google's Find My Device protection was enabled on your phone, it'll require you to enter the login and password from the Google account that was synced earlier, which is anti-theft protection, and you won't get around it with a simple reset.

Use of Fastboot and Computer

If the standard recovery menu is not available or blocked by the manufacturer (which happens on some global versions), you can try the Fastboot mode. In this mode, the phone connects to the computer and waits for commands. To work, you will need a USB cable, a PC with Xiaomi drivers installed and the Mi Flash Tool utility or similar.

Login to Fastboot is usually by pressing the volume button and the power button on the device turned off. The screen will show an image of a hare repairing an android, or the words FASTBOOT. Connecting the phone to a PC, you can try to send a command to reset the data batch.

This is considered more technically “clean” because it eliminates the possibility of accidentally pressing extra buttons on the phone itself. However, for the average user, it can be difficult because of the need to install drivers and the command line. A mistake in commands can lead to software errors, although it is extremely difficult to damage the hardware software through Fastboot.

There are also specialized third-party utilities that automate the process, but using untested software with administrator rights carries the risk of injecting malicious code into your computer.

⚠️ Warning: When using Fastboot mode, make sure the battery is at least 60% charged. Interrupting the firmware or reset process due to battery discharge may cause the phone to stop turning on ("bricking").

FRP Protection: What to Do After Resetting

Once you successfully reset your settings, you'll come across an activation screen, and this is where FRP comes in. This is Google's protection, which links the device to the last synchronized Google account, and if you just reset your phone, but you don't remember your Google email password, you won't be able to use it.

The system will require you to enter an email and password, so that the thief who stole the phone and dropped it cannot access the device, which means that the owner must remember the data from the Google account, not just from the Mi Account.

If you can't remember a Google account, there are workarounds, but they depend on the Android version and the security patch. On older versions, you could use TalkBack or browser tricks, but on Android 12/13/14, those holes are closed, and then only contacting the service with a check for a purchase will help.

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FRP (Google Lock) is an independent reset protection. Even a full reset via Recovery will not remove the link to your Google account unless you first log out in the settings.

Xiaomi owners also need to lock Mi Account after reset. If the device search was enabled in the phone settings, you will need to enter the Mi ID password after the reboot. Without this, the phone will remain locked even if the Google account is entered correctly. Two-tier protection can cause a lot of trouble for forgetful users.

Prevention and safety advice

To avoid being caught off guard, it is important to set your device up in advance. First of all, enable synchronization of contacts and photos with Google Photos or Mi Cloud. This will not save you from blocking, but will save the most valuable data intact if you need to reset.

Use biometrics. A fingerprint or facial unlock in Xiaomi works quickly and conveniently. However, remember that after you reboot the device, you still need to enter digital or graphical code. So the code should be memorable to you, but difficult for outsiders.

• 🔒 Write down a complex password to a secure place (notebook, password manager) that is not stored in the phone.
• ☁️ Check regularly if sync with Mi Cloud and Google Drive is active.
• 📱 Add an alternative email or phone number to restore your Google account.

Don't set passwords that are easy to forget, but don't use too simple combinations like "1234" or "0000." The best option is a pattern that you draw mechanically, such as the shape of a letter or geometric shape. Motor memory often works better than visual memory.

In conclusion, modern smartphones are designed to be as secure as possible, which means that it's almost impossible to get around data loss without having to provide it yourself, so be careful when you lock and keep your account data safe.